Happy Birthday, Little Man

Well, we did it. We reached Tony P.'s 3rd birthday and all of us are still standing. Well, mostly he is standing after knocking us all over, but then we get up and keep on going! PWL and I were talking about how much he has changed our family, and it's kind of unbelievable how different things are since he came along. Different in a good way, of course, but nonetheless... I figured if I made a list of what I have learned and gained from having Tony P. in our family, I would always remember how much things have changed, and how much fun we have with him. Here goes:

1. I now understand what people mean when they say they are constantly having to clean their bathrooms.
   
2. The soles of my feet are much tougher from stepping on so many little plastic cars.
3. My ability to discover trouble in the house has been fine-tuned, as well as my hearing. Long periods of silence = trouble.
4. I have become a very skilled swordsman.
5. I have the entire Cars movie memorized, and when called upon can sing all the songs from the soundtrack as lullabies.
6. My understanding of an appropriate bedtime "cuddle toy" has been modified, and now includes previously mentioned plastic cars.
7. I now interpret any form of physical contact as a hug, including slaps to the face, punches to the gut, and kicks to the shins, as long as they are done with good intentions.
8. I can have 10-minute conversation about the names of certain cars and actually hold my own.
   
9. I am a faster runner - I can run fast when being chased, when doing the chasing, or when looking for the one being chased who has then disappeared and is nowhere to be found.
10. I love little boy things that I never thought I would - little boy jeans, little boy sweater vests, Lightning McQueen blankets, red plaid pyjamas...

And with all of this practical knowledge, I have also learned that I am capable of loving a little boy more than I ever thought I could. Even with the punching and the yelling and jumping around and basically loud and raucous behavior that dominates our home, I wouldn't trade my little boy for anything in the world. Nothing beats the feeling I have when he sees me after I've been gone for a while and he gives me the biggest hug he can. Or when he calls out for me in the middle of the night and asks if I can hold his hand while he falls back to sleep. I rejoice with him in every milestone he overcomes, and cry with him when he is hurt. I defend him when I think he is being mistreated, and I try to discipline him when he is mistreating others, sometimes even with success. He is a miniature version of my husband, and the two of them melt my heart when they are together. He is full of mischief, love, humor, and most of all, boundless energy. I am grateful for him every day, and so glad I have the chance to remind myself of that once in awhile by writing it down. Happy Birthday, Anth!

Tony P. got a new big-boy bed and room for his birthday. When he woke up in the morning, this is what he discovered, before we could even show it to him! Here he is trying to make the number "3" with his fingers.

He got his first pair of skates for his birthday, so we took him out on the pond to try them out. He mostly got dragged around, and was freezing, but I'm sure he'll learn to love it.

Then we took him to the fire station where a friend of ours gave him a tour and let him "drive" the big truck. He was in awe - the happiest I've seen him maybe ever.

And last, the cake. He discovered this cake at DQ a couple of weeks ago with Lightning, Chick and The King on the top and would talk of nothing else. So we compromised - cheap hot dogs for dinner, fancy ice cream cake for dessert! It was a great day.